Category Archives: Malaga

Champions League qualification for both Malaga and Sevilla were all but sealed shut this weekend after both teams failed to score at La Roselda.

The visitors proved to have the better chances in the game, controlling the time of possession and mustering two on target shots. Cameroonian keeper Carlos Kameni showed he was up to the task, keeping out an early barrage of shots, and stopping a Juan Cala header in the second half.

Sevilla holds on to its eight place in the Primera Division table, while Malaga will hope for a collapse from Valencia and Real Sociedad while it sits in sixth place.

Real Madrid beat Málaga in a crazy game that was marked by Sergio Sánchez’s sending off in the 21st minute. With the Spanish Cup final against Atlético only nine days away and the knowledge that Barcelona would be crowned league champion if they lost, José Mourinho’s men were fully focussed on this game.

An Albiol header opened the scoring before Santa Cruz levelled the encounter. Then, Sergio Sánchez brought down Cristiano Ronaldo inside the area, cue red card for the Málaga defender and a penalty for Madrid. Caballero saved Cristiano’s spot kick, but the Portuguese’s direct free-kick was on target minutes later.

Özil, Benzema, Modric and Di María rounded out the scoring, as Real Madrid refuses to throw in the towel in its battle with arch-rival Barcelona.

Even though Malaga have already progressed through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League, manager Manuel Pellegrino expects nothing less than maximum effort from his team as they aim to remain unbeaten.